Put Down the Gavel and Be Kind
This will either be wildly popular or make me the most hated person in the blog-o-sphere. I am so sick of how polarized our families, country, world, etc have become.
Scroll through my friends list on Facebook and you will find a plethora of people. Alot of them ar straight, white Christians who are most likely republican, against abortion and truthfully a little clueless about the true condition of the criminal justice and welfare systems. These are predominately people I am related too or have grown up with in my childhood church.
Then I have my social and work circle. This is where my associations get interesting. I am 40 years old, Christian, white (like really white...nearly transparent -glow-in-the-dark white) I like a very broad variety of stuff, music, movies, shows, and I am interested in learning about others interests. I like to talk and ask questions. I have gay friends, associates that's look like they escaped a hippie commune, all sorts of beliefs, ethnicities, cultures, and religions.
Sounds like a contradiction to many, I am well aware. Here is the way I see it. I believe very strongly in God and the sacrifice Christ made for me, but everything about my faith is rooted in love. Judging others, screaming at them they are going to hell....is not loving them. I pray for my family, friends and associations. I am not God, so my only requirement is to love them and be kind.
I have tried hard to teach my children to see passed color, sex, gender and all other labels and find the person. Some of the most amazing and talented people I have the privilege of knowing, I would not know had I been stopped by their appearance or life choices.
I'm not trying to start a political or religious debate on sexual orientation or abortion. I do not want to debate racism in America. These are all valid concerns, but focusing on our differences is what pulls us apart.
Not every Christian hates gays and bombs abortion clinics, not every Muslim is a terrorist. Every black man is not a drug dealer, every southerner with a rebel flag is not a member of the KKK.
I don't like the word hate. It's strong and poisonous but I hate ignorance because it too is poisoning our world. We allow the media and fear mongers to decide our thoughts and actions...enough is enough.
Love your neighbor. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Show kindness. Attitude is everything and I choose to improve my attitude in how I deal with people. I'm human, so it's a daily pursuit, but it is worth it to make the effort. Kindness is worth the effort and it surpasses all the labels. Perhaps with enough kindness, protected classes would no longer need protection.
Scroll through my friends list on Facebook and you will find a plethora of people. Alot of them ar straight, white Christians who are most likely republican, against abortion and truthfully a little clueless about the true condition of the criminal justice and welfare systems. These are predominately people I am related too or have grown up with in my childhood church.
Then I have my social and work circle. This is where my associations get interesting. I am 40 years old, Christian, white (like really white...nearly transparent -glow-in-the-dark white) I like a very broad variety of stuff, music, movies, shows, and I am interested in learning about others interests. I like to talk and ask questions. I have gay friends, associates that's look like they escaped a hippie commune, all sorts of beliefs, ethnicities, cultures, and religions.
Sounds like a contradiction to many, I am well aware. Here is the way I see it. I believe very strongly in God and the sacrifice Christ made for me, but everything about my faith is rooted in love. Judging others, screaming at them they are going to hell....is not loving them. I pray for my family, friends and associations. I am not God, so my only requirement is to love them and be kind.
I have tried hard to teach my children to see passed color, sex, gender and all other labels and find the person. Some of the most amazing and talented people I have the privilege of knowing, I would not know had I been stopped by their appearance or life choices.
I'm not trying to start a political or religious debate on sexual orientation or abortion. I do not want to debate racism in America. These are all valid concerns, but focusing on our differences is what pulls us apart.
Not every Christian hates gays and bombs abortion clinics, not every Muslim is a terrorist. Every black man is not a drug dealer, every southerner with a rebel flag is not a member of the KKK.
I don't like the word hate. It's strong and poisonous but I hate ignorance because it too is poisoning our world. We allow the media and fear mongers to decide our thoughts and actions...enough is enough.
Love your neighbor. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Show kindness. Attitude is everything and I choose to improve my attitude in how I deal with people. I'm human, so it's a daily pursuit, but it is worth it to make the effort. Kindness is worth the effort and it surpasses all the labels. Perhaps with enough kindness, protected classes would no longer need protection.
Hello. I hope it does not get you hated.
ReplyDeleteI am Christian too. My way blogging is to defend my lot, to argue we have a right to exist, and try to find common ground with some people who are particularly hostile. The needs of feelings and others matter but I do not let them erase me.
The reason my lot is protected in the UK, patchily in the US, is power. We have little power, and those hostile to us have a great deal. I don't want "I disagree with your lifestyle but I will be kind to you", I want an equal sharing of what it is to be human. But kindness certainly helps.